C  O  N  S  T  I  T  U  T  I  O  N 


BY-LAWS 


BROOKLYN  UNION  FOR  CHRISTIAN  WORK, 


Organized,  Nov.,  1866.  Incorporated,  Ji  nk.  1871. 


bSi  FULTON  STREET, 

B  R  OOK  L  V  X,  X  .  V  . 

Nov.  1873. 


Denafaoa,  Smith  A  Co.,  Priuters,  40  Pine  Street,  New  York. 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


CONSTITUTION 


BY-LAWS 


BROOKLYN  UNION  FOR  CHRISTIAN  WORK, 


Organized,  Nov.,  1866.  Incorporated,  June,  1871. 


631  FULTON  STREET, 

BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 
Nov.  1873. 


HV 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/constitutionbylaOOunse_0 


CONSTITUTION 

OF  THE 

UNION  FOR  CHRISTIAN  WORK. 

ADOPTED  FEBRUARY  14,  1870. 


PREAMBLE. 

TVe,  the  undersigned,  desirous  of  promoting  our  own  higher 
spiritual  good,  of  cultivating  a  more  fraternal  spirit  amongst 
disciples  of  Jesus  of  every  name  and  sect,  and  of  engaging  in 
extending  more  widely  the  influence  of  a  pure  Christian  faith, 
do  hereby  f^rm  ourselves  into  an  Association,  and  agree  to  adopt 
for  our  united  government  the  following  Constitution  : — 

ARTICLE  I. 

This  Association  shall  be  known  as  the  Union  for  Christian 
Work. 

ARTICLE  II. 

Any  person  may  become  a  member  of  this  LTnion  by  subscribing 
to  the  Constitution  and  paying  One  Dollar  annually,  which  shall 
become  due  on  the  third  Tuesday  of  November  of  each  year.  On 
the  payment  of  twenty-five  dollars  at  any  one  time,  any  person 
may  become  a  life  member. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Twenty-five  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  at  any  meeting 
of  this  Union. 


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ARTICLE  IV. 

Not  less  than  five  days'  notice  of  all  business  meetings  shall  be 
given  by  the  Secretary,  in  two  Brooklyn  daily  papers. 

ARTICLE  V. 

There  shall  be  an  annual  meeting  of  the  Union  on  the  third 
Tuesday  of  November,  at  which  shall  be  elected  by  ballot, 

A  President, 
Two  Yice-Presidents, 
A  Secretary,  and 
A  Treasurer, 

who  shall  hold  their  respective  offices  for  one  year,  or  until  others 
are  elected  to  fill  their  places.  Also,  nine  Directors,  who  shall  so 
classify  themselves  that  one-third  of  their  number  shall  retire  from 
office  at  the  end  of  each  year,  and  thereafter  their  places  shall  be 
filled  at  each  annual  election. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

The  Officers  and  Directors  named  in  Article  V  shall  constitute 
a  Board  of  Managers,  who,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  duties  of 
their  respective  positions,  shall  provide  and  furnish  suitable  rooms, 
books,  periodicals,  games,  etc.,  for  the  general  purposes  of  the 
Union  ;  shall  have  the  control  and  management  of  its  affairs  and 
property  ;  shall  have  the  power  of  filling  vacancies  in  the  Board  ; 
of  making  their  own  By-Laws,  and  of  appointing  such  committees, 
subject  to  their  direction,  as  they  may  deem  expedient. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

At  every  annual  meeting  of  the  Union,  the  Board  of  Managers 
shall  give  a  full  report  of  their  general  operations  and  proceedings, 
and,  as  far  as  they  can,  the  results  thereof  for  the  preceding  year  ; 
also,  a  statement  of  the  financial  condition  of  the  Union,  including 
receipts  and  expenditures,  and  an  estimate  of  outstanding  liabilities  ; 
also,  an  estimate  of  the  probable  financial  and  other  requirments  of 
the  coming  year. 


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ARTICLE  VIII. 

Special  meetings  of  the  Union  may  be  called  by  the  Board  of 
Managers  at  their  own  option,  or  by  the  President,  at  the  written 
request  of  thirteen  members.  The  object  of  such  meeting  shall  be 
stated  in  the  notice. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Additions  or  amendments  to  these  Articles,  of  which  previous 
notice  in  writing  shall  have  been  given,  may  be  made  by  a  vote 
of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  any  regular  or  special 
meeting. 


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BY-LAWS. 


1.  The  officers  annually  elected  by  the  Union  shall  "be  the  officers 
of  the  Board. 

2.  In  addition  to  the  usual  duties  of  their  respective  offices,  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  to  make  the  annual  report  of 
the  general  operations  and  results  thereof  of  the  Board  to  the 
Union,  and-  also  such  suggestions  and  recommendations  for  the 
then  coming  year  as  may  seem  to  him  to  be  best  adapted  to  the 
success  of  the  objects  of  the  Union.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
Treasurer  to  give  the  annual  financial  statements  and  estimates  of 
the  Board  to  the  Union,  as  required  by  the  Constitution. 

3.  Regular  meetings  of  the  Board  shall  be  held  on  the  second 
Tuesday  evening  of  each  Month,  seven  members  constituting  a 
quorum.  Special  meetings  shall  be  called  by  the  President,  or 
either  Vice-President,  at  the  written  request  of  three  members. 
The  place  of  any  member  who  shall  fail  to  attend  three  regular 
meetings  successively  may  be  declared  vacant. 

4.  Vacancies  in  the  Board  of  Managers,  or  in  any  of  the  offices 
herein  named,  may  be  filled  at  any  regular  meeting  fixed  by  the 
Board  succeeding  that  at  which  such  vacancy  shall  have  been  an- 
nounced. And  the  Secretary  shall  give  written  notice  to  each 
member  of  the  Board  of  the  time  at  which  such  vacancy  shall  be 
filled. 

*  5  At  all  meetings  the  order  of  business  shall  be — 
First.  Reading  of  the  Minutes. 
Second.  Communications  to  the  Board. 
Third.  Treasurer's  Report. 
Fourth.  Reports  of  Standing  Committees. 
Fifth.  Reports  of  Special  Committees. 
Sixth.  Special  Business. 
Seventh.  Unfinished  Business. 


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6.  The  Treasurer  shall  make  a  monthly  report  of  receipts  and 
expenditures. 

7.  The  Secretary  shall  conduct  the  correspondence  of  the  Board. 

8.  At  the  regular  meeting  in  December  of  each  year  there  shall 
be  appointed  the  following  standing  committees  : — 

A  Finance  Committee,  of  which  the  Treasurer  shall  be  a  member. 

An  Executive  Committee. 

A  Library  and  Amusement  Committee. 

A  Committee  on  Benevolence. 

A  Committee  on  Lectures  and  Addresses  to  be  delivered  before 
the  Union  or  under  its  auspices. 

A  Committee  of  Employment,  whose  general  duty  shall  be  to 
procure  suitable  situations  for  any  boys  or  other  persons  attending 
the  rooms  who  shall  be  in  need  of  employment. 

Each  of  which  committees  shall  consist  of  five. 

9.  The  Financial  Committee  shall  have  the  management  and 
supervision  of  the  pecuniary  affairs  of  the  Union,  and  shall  gen- 
erally devise  ways  and  means  for  sustaining  its  operations.  They 
shall  have  power  at  all  times  to  examine  the  books,  accounts,  and 
vouchers  of  the  Treasurer,  and  if  found  correct  shall  approve  and 
certify  his  annual  statement. 

10.  Th^  Executive  Committee  shall  have  charge  of  providing 
proper  rooms  for  the  use  of  the  Union,  the  general  supervision 
thereof  and  the  property  therein,  and  shall  keep  the  same  insured. 
They  shall  appoint  proper  persons  as  Janitor  and  Librarian,  and 
shall  fix  their  salaries,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Board. 

11.  The  Library  Committee  shall  endeavor,  by  voluntary  con- 
tribution or  otherwise,  to  increase  the  books  and  other  reading 
matter  for  the  Reading-room,  shall  have  supervision  thereof  and  fix 
rules  for  the  proper  regulation  of  the  Reading  and  Amusement 
Rooms,  and  introduce  and  supervise,  from  time  to  time,  such  ad- 
ditional recreations  and  exercises  as  they  may  think  proper. 

12.  The  Committee  on  Benevolence  shall  endeavor  "to  enlist  in 
active  and  charitable  work  all  those  who  are  willing  and  ready  to 
do  good,"  and  generally  to  suggest  and  carry  out  such  benevolent 
operations  as  the  purposes  of  the  Union  seem  to  require. 


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13.  The  various  committees  shall  report  from  time  to  time  the 
requirements  of  their  several  departments,  but  no  liabilities  shall 
be  incurred,  unless  previously  authorized  by  the  Board.  The 
President  shall  be  ex-officio  a  member  of  all  standing  committees. 

14.  The  Treasurer  shall  be  required  to  give  the  President  ample 
and  satisfactory  security  for  the  funds  in  his  hands,  unless  he  make 
a  special  deposit  of  them  as  Treasurer  of  the  Union  for  Christian 
Work. 

15.  These  By-Laws  may  be  altered  or  amended  by  a  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  any  regular  meeting  of  the 
Board  succeeding  that  at  which  notice  of  such  amendment  or 
alteration  shall  have  been  given  in  writing. 


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